History Main / KickedUpstairs

* On ''Series/SiliconValley'', Hooli CEO Gavin Belson believes in this philosophy, having picked it up from studying Japanese management techniques. He implements it with the company's worst performers, technically promoting them but removing all their responsibilities, believing they will become ashamed of how little they are contributing to the company. The problem, though, is that he does not employ Japanese [[{{Salaryman}} salarymen]], but rather Silicon Valley programmers who are all too happy to get paid to come to work and do absolutely nothing. Big Head has this happen to him; he finds a whole group of people like him just playing hackeysack on the building's roof.

* The office of being the Vice President of the United States was for the longest time viewed as powerless. Putting troublesome politicians and renegades in this position was common for two reasons. First, the position has little responsibility so it is a good way to neutralize someone. Secondly, presidential candidates will often choose a running mate who is very different than them (and possibly disagrees with them) in order to secure a broad base of support both within the party and the public. [[ReassignmentBackfire The problems begin when the president dies.]] In chronological order...

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* The office of being the Vice President of the United States was for the longest time viewed as powerless. Putting troublesome politicians and renegades in this position was common for two reasons. First, the position has little responsibility few powers or responsibilities (FDR's first VP, John Nance Garner, famously said of the office that it is "not worth a bucket of warm piss") so it is a good way to neutralize someone. Secondly, presidential candidates will often choose a running mate who is very different than them (and possibly disagrees with them) in order to secure a broad base of support both within the party and the public. [[ReassignmentBackfire The problems begin when the president dies.]] In chronological order...

* In Tse-Mallory's flashback from ''[[HumanxCommonwealth The Tar-Aiym Krang]]'', the officer in charge of a stingship squadron is promoted to commander and re-assigned to a desk job on a backwater planet after he opts not to intervene and prevent a massacre of innocents, rather than risk being blamed for any resulting diplomatic upset. In contrast, Tse-Mallory and Truzenzuzex are demoted for defying orders and engaging the would-be invaders anyway, then awarded medals for their heroism.

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* In Tse-Mallory's flashback from ''[[HumanxCommonwealth ''[[Literature/HumanxCommonwealth The Tar-Aiym Krang]]'', the officer in charge of a stingship squadron is promoted to commander and re-assigned to a desk job on a backwater planet after he opts not to intervene and prevent a massacre of innocents, rather than risk being blamed for any resulting diplomatic upset. In contrast, Tse-Mallory and Truzenzuzex are demoted for defying orders and engaging the would-be invaders anyway, then awarded medals for their heroism.

** Jaime Lannister was kicked upstairs into the Kingsguard by King Aerys to prevent him becoming Lord of Casterly Rock. Jaime was immensely pleased, but Tywin immediately saw it for what it was, namely an attempt to remove his favored heir.

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** Jaime Lannister was kicked upstairs into the Kingsguard by King Aerys to prevent him becoming Lord of Casterly Rock. Jaime was immensely pleased, but his father Tywin immediately saw it for what it was, namely an attempt to remove his favored heir.

* In Literature/TheLostFleeet series, Geary wants to promote the second-in-command of one of the fleet's critical repair and resupply ships to captain and remove the utterly useless man currently in that position, but can't simply sack him due to Geary's delicate political position with the other fleet officers at the time. So he "promotes" the captain to work on a study to examine the fleet's logistical requirements and what they need to get home, leaving the tedious and dreary work of ship command to his subordinate. Said former-captain is ''still'' working on his report on how to get the fleet home after the fleet gets home.

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* In Literature/TheLostFleeet Literature/TheLostFleet series, Geary wants to promote the second-in-command of one of the fleet's critical repair and resupply ships to captain and remove the utterly useless man currently in that position, but can't simply sack him due to Geary's delicate political position with the other fleet officers at the time. So he "promotes" the captain to work on a study to examine the fleet's logistical requirements and what they need to get home, leaving the tedious and dreary work of ship command to his subordinate. Said former-captain is ''still'' working on his report on how to get the fleet home after the fleet gets home.

* The GuildWars2 novel ''Edge Of Destiny'' reveals that most Asura view the Arcane Council as this, as dealing with bureaucracy takes time away from their own research. Klab in particular shows reluctance when he's chosen to be director of pest control.

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* The GuildWars2 VideoGame/GuildWars2 novel ''Edge Of Destiny'' reveals that most Asura view the Arcane Council as this, as dealing with bureaucracy takes time away from their own research. Klab in particular shows reluctance when he's chosen to be director of pest control.

* Used to kick off ''Film/HotFuzz'', in which Nicholas Angel is promoted to sergeant because he's so damn good at his job, he's showing everyone else up. Unable to kick him out due to his extreme competence, they promote him to a sleepy little village -- except as it turns out, [[ReassignmentBackfire it's not actually all that quiet]].

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* Used to kick off ''Film/HotFuzz'', in which Nicholas Angel is promoted to sergeant because he's so damn good at his job, he's showing everyone else up. Unable to kick him out due to his extreme competence, they promote him to a the sleepy little village of Sandford, Gloucestershire -- except as it turns out, [[ReassignmentBackfire it's not actually all that quiet]].

* In the Creator/MichaelDouglas film ''Film/{{Disclosure}}'', the main character is under investigation for sexual harassment, brought about by the conniving FemmeFatale. Considering that the evidence is mostly her word against his, one of the solutions suggested is that Douglas' character accept a lateral transfer, with the same pay and benefits, from the company's Seattle location to an office in Texas. He immediately refuses, as he knows that the Texas location is due to be shut down and most of its employees laid off, making the whole exercise a roundabout firing in disguise.

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* In the Creator/MichaelDouglas film ''Film/{{Disclosure}}'', the main character Tom Sanders is under investigation for sexual harassment, brought about by the conniving FemmeFatale. Considering that the evidence is mostly her word against his, one of the solutions suggested is that Douglas' character Sanders accept a lateral transfer, with the same pay and benefits, from the company's Seattle location to an office in Texas. He immediately refuses, as he knows that the Texas location is due to be shut down and most of its employees laid off, making the whole exercise a roundabout firing in disguise.

* GeneRoddenberry, creator of ''Franchise/StarTrek'', was Kicked Upstairs after the release of ''Film/StarTrekTheMotionPicture'', of which he was producer and co-writer. Roddenberry got a big share of the blame for ''Star Trek: The Motion Picture'' being so badly received, but the studio contractually couldn't fire him: instead, he was given the position of "Executive Consultant", where he could make as many notes and suggestions as he liked and his replacement, Harve Bennett, could ignore them as much as ''he'' liked.

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* GeneRoddenberry, Creator/GeneRoddenberry, creator of ''Franchise/StarTrek'', was Kicked Upstairs after the release of ''Film/StarTrekTheMotionPicture'', of which he was producer and co-writer. Roddenberry got a big share of the blame for ''Star Trek: The Motion Picture'' being so badly received, but the studio contractually couldn't fire him: instead, he was given the position of "Executive Consultant", where he could make as many notes and suggestions as he liked and his replacement, Harve Bennett, could ignore them as much as ''he'' liked.

* In ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'', Kahless the Unforgettable, founder of the Klingon Empire, [[CloneDegeneration "returns"]] and is seen as a political threat by Chancellor Gowron. After Gowron proves clone-Kahless is not [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority the strongest warrior of them all]], the spiritual rebirth sparked by his return is still seen as a political threat. Instead of killing clone-Kahless and making him a martyr to his followers, Worf suggests installing him in the currently empty ceremonial but politically powerless seat of Emperor, as the "true heir" to Kahless.** Being Kicked upstairs is basically how Dr. Beverly Crusher was PutOnABus for the second season, as head of Starfleet Medical. Fortunately the bus ride only lasted one season.

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* In ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'', ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration''** In "Rightful Heir", Kahless the Unforgettable, founder of the Klingon Empire, [[CloneDegeneration "returns"]] and is seen as a political threat by Chancellor Gowron. After Gowron proves clone-Kahless is not [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority the strongest warrior of them all]], the spiritual rebirth sparked by his return is still seen as a political threat. Instead of killing clone-Kahless and making him a martyr to his followers, Worf suggests installing him in the currently empty ceremonial but politically powerless seat of Emperor, as the "true heir" to Kahless.** Being Kicked kicked upstairs is basically how Dr. Beverly Crusher was PutOnABus for the second season, as head of Starfleet Medical. Fortunately the bus ride only lasted one season.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Storks}}'': Hunter claims that this is what's happening to him after the upcoming Stork Con, which is why he's offering to promote Junior. Junior ends up doing this to Tulip when he promotes her to the letter department (which has been out of commission since she was born) as his first order of business when he can't bring himself to fire her.

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